Avignon Festival Spotlights Korea: Han Kang and Lee Ufan Lead Summer Program
Creatrip Team
23 days ago
For its 80th edition (Festival d'Avignon) and marking 140 years of Franco-Korean relations, Avignon will feature Korea as the festival's first-ever official guest language. From July 4–25, the festival presents nine works by seven Korean performing groups, spanning theater, contemporary dance, multi-disciplinary art, pansori (traditional Korean narrative singing), and staged readings. A highlight is a reading of Han Kang’s novel “I Do Not Say Farewell” performed at the Palais des Papes by Isabelle Huppert and Lee Hye-young; Han Kang will attend for a talk. Complementing the performing arts, a major retrospective by Korean modern art master Lee Ufan, centered on his concept “Relatum,” runs July 3–Nov 15 at the UNESCO-listed Palais des Papes, installing large stone and metal works across historic Gothic spaces. Linked exhibitions in nearby Arles and the Lee Ufan museums (including Naoshima and Busan) create a rich route for visitors seeking contemporary Korean art and cross-cultural cultural experiences.
